A BMW convertible: sun up, top down, wandering along quiet scenic roads in the last days of winter in south-east Queensland. Life doesn’t come much better than this. So we decided to make a weekend of it and dawdled up to Noosa.
After driving for more than 500 kilometres the little 118d convertible was still showing about a third of a tank of diesel left. The efficiency of all current BMW diesels is extremely impressive. Fit a little 2.0-litre diesel engine unit into a lightish car and fuel consumption in the low fives is there for the asking.
On our holiday trip the fuel consumption was in the mid five litres per hundred kilometres range.
With the roof closed, therefore making for better aerodynamics, it would be easy to get the fuel consumption down into the high fours.
The second generation of BMW’s 1 Series was released in Australia in October 2011 in hatchback form. But the convertible in which we have just spent a most enjoyable week is carried over from the previous generation. Exterior changes to the shape of the new-gen 1 Series hatchbacks are relatively minor.
Having a soft-top rather than a folding hardtop in the modern manner means the little Bimmer looks like a ‘proper’ convertible. A hardtop with the roof raised looks like just another coupe.
The 1 Series is the smallest in the BMW range and in convertible format, interior space is further compromised by the need to provide space into which the roof can be lowered.
All these apparent handicaps are soon forgotten when we threw ‘our’ BMW 118d at hard corners on demanding roads in quiet hilly areas. Superb balance is immediately obvious, as are responsive steering and huge amounts of cornering grip.
Those who put sheer driving pleasure ahead of all else will simply love every moment they spend behind the wheel.
Prices start at $53,200, not including government or dealer delivery charges.
